The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) recently announced a final rule establishing a national drug and alcohol clearinghouse database for commercial motor vehicle drivers. The rule, which will be in effect by Jan. 6, requires FMCSA-regulated employers, Medical Review Officers, Substance Abuse Professionals, and other service agents to report information related to violations of DOT’s drug and alcohol regulations by current and prospective employees. Records will remain in the database for five years or until the driver has completed the requirements to return to duty. Employers will be required to query the Clearinghouse before permitting employees to operate a commercial motor vehicle on public roads and to annually query the database for each driver currently employed, among other regulations.

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